A Past Better Left Forgotten
by Kunoichi Uchiha
Summary: Yuffie is planning to leave Radiant Garden but someone isn't ready to let her go. Clouffie. Oneshot.


**A/N- Hello readers! This is a quickie one-shot Clouffie. The idea wouldn't leave me alone. **

Radiant Garden was nothing akin to radiant in the dark depths when the sun had taken its leave for the night. The sky was enclosed in a thick cloud cover, making star gazing a rather fruitless venture. The castle stood as a gloomy reminder of a past that needed to be forgotten and memories that came in only the most bloodcurdling of nightmares. There was a thick fog spreading through the town as a result of the warm waters in the rising falls mixing with the cool night air. On the steep ledge, that had once been a preferred hide away for a menacing one winged angel, sat a young female ninja with a thoughtful look on her face. She let out a heavy sigh as she looked out to the grim castle that had at one time been her home.

"I won't miss this place one bit," She said aloud as a determined look appeared on her face. She immediately focused on all of the painful memories that this place represented and ignored all of the happy memories. Her memories of friendship and peace were disregarded in favor of pain and destruction.

"Why is that Yuffie?" came an unseen voice from the shadows. The deep and masculine voice could only belong to one of two men that the young ninja could think of, nether of which spoke enough for her to be able to tell who it was from voice alone.

Yuffie turned toward the voice and tried to decipher the shadowy blob of his body into a recognizable form. She realized it was as useless as trying to see the stars and she would only know who he was when he chose to reveal himself. She turned her attention away and back to the landscape.

"Because I won't be living here much longer," she said with no emotion leaking through her words. She turned even further away from him so the only thing visible was her back.

Heavy footfalls sounded behind her as he approached. Each step was slow and deliberate as if he wanted her to know he was coming. He came to her side and slowly sat down, his legs hanging over the edge in the same manner as hers. Yuffie did not need to turn to see who it was. The bight blonde hair was a striking contrast in the darkness even to her peripheral vision.

"You wish to leave?" he asked looking out toward the horizon as Yuffie was.

"Desperately," she replied in a voice so soft he barely heard. He turned his attention to her in an attempt to read her emotions. He could see nothing but an empty indifference in her stormy eyes. Her cold demeanor was unsettling him when he was so used to her bright personality. He looked way again unable to stand her frigid disposition.

"When?" he asked her, his voice almost cracking with the emotion he felt.

"Tomorrow morning," she said in the same detached voice. Cloud turned to look at her with a shocked expression on his face, his eyes were widened and his mouth was hanging slightly open as he tried to comprehend her words. He composed himself and turned his vision back to the landscape.

"Can I…come with you?" he said without turning to look at her. She was startled for a moment. She was not expecting him to ask something like that. She quickly collected herself and furrowed her eyebrows in determination.

"No," she said in a tone harsher than she expected. He looked at her then, the hurt clearly displayed on his face. "If you come with me then Tifa and Aerith will follow, they will track us down and make us come back to this Hellhole," she explained to him in a gentler voice.

Cloud's thoughts quickly turned from pain to anger at her explanation. He clenched his fists tightly in an attempt to calm himself, his knuckles turning white and his short nails digging into the flesh of his palm.

"You think I would come back here simply because they wished it?" he asked though anger clenched teeth.

"That's why you came back last time wasn't it?" she said back, her own anger and annoyance beginning to rise as well. She was getting sick of this conversation and his stubborn attitude. She had made up her mind and his futile attempt to make her stay was really starting to push her buttons.

"If that is what you think then maybe it is best that you do leave," he said turning his head as far as possible away from her view. She snapped her head over to him then, having enough of his smart remarks.

"That is exactly what I plan on doing Cloud!" she said loudly, "Don't pretend that you like me all of a sudden when you don't even speak to me unless it is absolutely necessary!" she snapped at him.

She stood up then, angrily heading back to the crystalline caves that served as a small gateway to the dark depths. Cloud intercepted her halfway through by grabbing her arm and forcefully turning her back to look at him. She struggled in his grasp, her pride refusing to let him control her. He grabbed her other arm and pushed her into the nearby cave wall to prevent her struggle. Both of her hands were secured over her head by his left hand and his body was pressed tightly against hers to take away all of her mobility.

"Let me go jackass!" she practically screamed in his face as she ineffectively tried to free herself. He shook his head slowly letting her know that she was not going to win this fight. She cried out in frustration and turned her head away from him in defiance.

"I will never let you go," he whispered in her ear so close that his lips brushed against her skin with each word. She involuntarily shuddered at his closeness and she felt Cloud smile at her reaction. She felt his lips brush against her ear again but this time he was not speaking. The light brush of his lips gradually turned to soft kisses that slowly migrated to her neck. She gasped audibly when he sucked on her skin for an instant no doubt leaving a visible mark. His kisses moved back up to her ear, nibbling for a moment on her earlobe before continuing to her cheek. He stopped before her lips, coaxing her to meet his eyes by nuzzling his nose with hers. She shyly rose her eyes to meet his, their lips not a half of an inch apart.

He leaned down to kiss her then. The kiss was light and short, testing her reaction to him. When she did not protest, he kissed her again, this time trying to entice her lips to kiss him back. He deepened the kiss desperately, putting all of his emotion and all of his feelings for her into the kiss. He brought his right hand to her chin using his thumb to gently charm her mouth into opening and allowing him to kiss her properly.

Moments later, he broke away, planting a few light kisses on her lips in an attempt to wean himself from her addicting mouth. He looked down at her tenderly as she recovered from the kiss, her warm breath mingling with his as they caught their breath. He affectionately stroked her cheek and planted one last soft kiss on her lips before releasing her and taking a step back. Her knees wobbled slightly when he was no longer supporting her weight. She looked up at him nervously as she waited for him to break the silence.

"If you truly wish to leave then I won't try to stop you," he said seriously, "but, I want you to know that I care for you deeply and my heart will break upon our parting." His eyes held a deep passion and she knew that every word he spoke was the truth.

"How long have you felt this way?" Yuffie asked wanting to know how anyone could feel so strongly and keep it bottled up so tightly inside. Cloud laughed lightly to himself at her question, his eyes dancing with a flame she had never seen before in their mako green depths.

"I have loved you since before I was allowed to," he said as if a colossal weight had just been taken off his chest. She looked surprised at his answer at first and then she accepted it with a nod and a warm smile.

Yuffie pushed herself off the rock wall then and turned to continue down the path. She stopped and looked over her shoulder at Cloud who had still not moved.

"Hurry up Cloud," she said with a caring smile on her face, "You still need to pack if you plan to come with me tomorrow." She turned and continued to walk toward the village. Cloud's face lit up at her proclamation and he hurried to catch up with her his hand reaching out to grab hers. He slowly brought her hand to his mouth to kiss her knuckles before interlacing their fingers together and walking by her side.

'This is only the beginning,' Yuffie thought to herself, 'goodbye to my forlorn past, the future looks so much more amazing.'

**A/N- well that's it. Oneshots are fun, I might do more. (no commitment! lol) If you like this then go and read my other story. If I get more reviews for it then I'll be super happy and update faster and with longer chapters. Woo Hoo! Review and I will make more oneshots too if you want. I will also love to take requests if the pairing isn't something that I despise. I have way too much time on my hands and way too much sugar in my system! Tell me what you think don't be shy.**


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